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Desk Plants for Writers

Desk Plants for Writers

I have a confession to make… I don’t have a green thumb. Yes, my father was an agriculture teacher and he left a huge forest behind but I have the tendency of killing plants, not growing them. Even the unkillable ones! The trust is, I have a long plant killing criminal record. I mean I killed our yellow orchid; Nikki. Yes, she is my latest kill.

RIP Nikki

I keep hearing benefits of having indoor plants especially in writing rooms. And what I’m hearing recently keeps getting louder and louder. Even the list of ideal office plants is getting longer. I have no choice but to convince myself to get one of those green things.

So, why do we really need those indoor plants?

Plants improve air quality
Plants improve indoor air quality by removing harmful air pollutants present in the home. It’s not just because us humans breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide but also we are surrounded by volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from plastic or synthetic materials. They are in our furniture, paint on the wall, fittings, computers, etc. they even say that indoor air is always more polluted than outdoors! So we need indoor plants.

Plants reduce stress and uplift our mood
I don’t know how they do it but indoor plants relieve staff stress and reduce negative mood states by up to 60%. And you don’t have to have a jungle to achieve that.

Plants promote productivity
Indoor plants promote productivity and performance. They have done some studies around that I believe those people who did those studies. Period!

For me, none of these would fit to some tiny little area I have on my desk and I don’t like having large objects on the floor as I move things around –I still haven’t figured out the best position for my desk but still searching. Succulents are small but some of them have spiky bits and I could be quite clumsy sometimes.

What to do?

All of a sudden, I remembered my money tree downstairs, right next to the gate. I was given a tiny little stalk of it with only four fleshy leaves by Irene –my lovely Asian neighbour who lives a few doors down. She gave it to me and said “Now, you go home and grow some money, my dear.” How cute is that?

And I did grow some money! I named it Lakshmi and grew another one in another large pot downstairs –named that one Lakshimette. Then I had Lakshimette 2! Maybe my black thumb karma is improving?

Binominal name of money tree is crassula ovata but let’s not get technical here. Money tree is also known as jade plant, friendship tree and lucky plant. It is low maintenance, no spiky bits and I just love its luscious green roundness. It hasn’t got a name yet but I believe it’ll come to me. In the meantime, any suggestions?